Major Alpine crossings are a Grand Angle specialty, and several original circuits from which we have made a selection to discover in this article. These vast itineraries, from 10 to 14 days, allow you to immerse yourself in the mountains and give a vast dimension to your journey. Linear, these hikes cross different massifs and offer you a wide array of very different landscapes. You will see, these mountain journeys are much more than a simple walk: they mark you forever. The Alps are sumptuous mountains; they are at our door: let’s take advantage of it!
From Salzburg to Verona
From Salzburg to Verona, from Berchtesgaden National Park (Upper Bavaria), to the powerful glaciated massif of the Grossglockner (summit of Austria) at the heart of Hohe Tauern National Park, it is a succession of lakes, colorful villages and mountains, which lead towards Upper Carinthia, south of Austria. We then enter the spectacular Dolomites, with the famous 3 Peaks, the Tofane and the Cinque Torri, Mt Pelmo and the Civetta, before finishing this Alpine journey of 14 days in Verona. Level 4. And if you need inspiration, find Jean-Marc Porte’s account, Grand Angle guide.
From Munich to Lake Como
A very beautiful epic from Munich to Lake Como, which begins in rich Bavaria, continues in Tyrol, the Lech valley and Vorarlberg: alpine pastures, panoramic paths, gorges and small peaks; a pass makes us tip to the Swiss side: here are the shimmering glaciers, blue lakes and villages of Upper Engadine, then Italian Val Malenco and the glaciers of Disgrazia. The epilogue of our 14 days of hiking is unforgettable, with a boat crossing of Lake Como, romantic to the fullest. Level 3. Discover this wonderful journey in this account on the beauty of the Munich-Como crossing.
Grand Dolomites Crossing
Departure from Verona, arrival in Venice: between these two art cities, a great crossing in 10 days of the extraordinary Dolomites, natural wonder, from Rosengarten to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, immersed in the heart of red or pink needles, sun-splashed cliffs, lunar plateaus, verdant valleys and canyons, fabulous balconies. The refuges, almost all above 2000m, will astonish you with their conviviality. Level 3. And to understand the beauty of these magnificent mountains, read the account Addicted to the Dolomites.
From Munich to Venice
Grand Angle’s first major crossing; it remains one of the most beautiful, and crosses four mountain ranges, several regions and three countries in 14 days, offering a great variety of landscapes, from Bavaria to the Dolomites, passing through Tyrol. This journey from Munich to Venice also presents a very pleasant cultural dimension to add to the pleasure of hiking, including the discovery of King Ludwig II of Bavaria’s castles and the city of Innsbruck. Level 3. Also available self-guided via the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. And if you prefer cycling, discover our Munich to Venice cycling route, in 9 days or in 12 days.
Tour of the Giants
Tour of the Giants is the only ‘alpine crossing’ that forms a loop, but it deserves its place here. Imagine: following the route of the famous trail race Tor of the Giants, you circle the Aosta Valley… It’s monumental, for the exceptional and wild beauty of the landscapes crossed. Staying at an average altitude of 2000m, you cross the Gran Paradiso National Park, 34 villages and 16 valleys, and you accumulate 18km of elevation gain over 14 days, under the gaze of the Giants, the 4000+: Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso, Grand Combin, Mont Blanc. Physically demanding: level 5. Discover this trek also through Laurent’s account, who tells this legendary hike.
From the capital of the Alps to Vauban’s city
From Grenoble to Briançon, it’s a vast crossing of the Alps from north to south, from fir forests to larch forests… but not only! Here, the idea is clearly to connect in 14 days these two alpine cities by the wildest possible mountain ranges and trails. This is how you will discover the crystalline Belledonne and its lakes, the Oisans and its snow-capped peaks; the south of the Ecrins massif shifts in climate and joins, finally, the Durance valley and the Briançon area. Physically demanding: level 5. Discover this wild crossing from Grenoble to Briançon.
The GTA, the Grand Crossing of the Alps via the GR5
How could we not mention this other legendary route that crosses the entire French Alps from Lake Geneva to Nice! The Great Crossing of the Alps, affectionately known as the GTA, is a multi-day hiking trail that follows the famous GR5 in its alpine section, immersing you in a spectacular and stunning journey across the Alps! Approximately 700km in length with 40 000 meters of elevation gain depending on the variant chosen, you will pass through the famous national parks of Vanoise and Mercantour. The Great Crossing of the Alps is renowned for being a varied route far from boring. Throughout your hike you will see alpine pastures, high-altitude lakes, alpine forests, glaciers, mountain passes and spectacular peaks, before finishing beautifully by glimpsing the sea at Nice or Menton depending on your route. The entire GTA can be completed in 3 to 4 weeks for experienced hikers, but you can of course split the route into several sections that connect the main highlights of the trail: from Lake Geneva to Chamonix in 7 days, then reach the Southern Alps to Briançon in 7 days, before reaching the sea to Menton in 12 days.
These trails inspire you to walk longer. Our long journeys page helps compare long-distance treks.
The Great Crossing of the Alps can be tackled in stages, with a route matched to your experience and available time.
